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Category Archives: City Hall

This week SEPTA released plans that detail the reconstruction of the City Hall Station on the Broad Street Line and 15th Street. According to PhillyMag.com, SEPTA does not plan on beginning construction until 2016 due to the visit of Pope Francis in September and the Democratic National Convention in Summer 2016. Due to the mass amount of visitors expected for both major events, officials want to ensure the station is fully operable during that time.

Once the DNC is over, reconstruction will begin and is expected to be SEPTA’s biggest project yet. On a side note, this City Hall station renovation will take up to four years to complete. According to a SEPTA representative, the project will be broken down into phases so the 15th Street and City Hall stations can remain open and passenger inconvenience be avoided.

The biggest task for SEPTA engineers is the City Hall station, which is planned for new elevators and ramps. The $110 million project was approved for funding after the transportation funding packaged passed last year.

Initially the new observation deck for One Liberty Place, located at 1650 Market Street, was scheduled to open this summer. Unfortunately, the big opening has been postponed for this fall. According to Philadelphia Magazine, a spokesperson confirmed that the opening is more likely to happen after Labor Day. The project has yet to be named but the groundbreaking ceremony with Mayor Michael Nutter is scheduled for next month.

Plans for the new observation deck were initially proposed back in September. The observation deck will be located on the 57th floor of One Liberty Place and plans to include a private elevator and cafe/restaurant. As the project progresses and groundbreaking commences, more details should be released.

PhillyMag.com compiled a comprehensive list detailing major development projects currently taking place in Philadelphia. These developments are taking place in several sections of the city, which in turn has created tons of growth and increasing popularity for Philadelphia.

Comcast Innovation and Technology Center
Currently under construction, the soon-to-be 59 floor building is expected to be the tallest building in Philadelphia and the 8th tallest skyscraper in the U.S. The $1.2 billion dollar building will consist of 1.5 million square feet of space to house hotel space, restaurants, offices, television studios, retail and parking. CITC will be located at 1800 Arch Street.

FMC Tower
Located in close proximity to 30th Street Station, FMC Tower is currently under construction and is expected to be an iconic landmark featuring contemporary glass and steel architecture. Employees and residents will have access to this vibrant outdoor venue for daily enjoyment, large-scale catered company events and social gatherings such as classical music concerts, live arts performances, summer movie screenings and more.

Manayunk Bridge Trail
The Manayunk Bridge will soon be accompanied by a bike trail expected to be completed in the fall. The $4.12 million project will enhance the current structure that connects Manayunk to the Cynwyd Heritage Trail in Montgomery County.

Braverman Building
Located at 2617 West Girard Avenue, the Braverman Building is set to become a mixed-use building with apartments in Spring of this year.

East Market
The space is currently demolished and now that the warmer weather has arrived progress is expected to continue. This portion of Market Street will be transformed into retail and residential space with digital billboards.

Contemporary 1 bedroom condo with custom concrete counter tops, high-end stainless steel appliances, refinished hardwood floors, stripped exposed wood columns, exposed brick walls. This is a unique corner unit with 13 ft ceilings facing south and west and includes 1,100 sq.ft. and indoor garage parking located in a great area and only walking distance from Center City!

Photo rendering courtesy of Cecil Baker, the architect who designed 500 Walnut.

PhillyMag.com reported that the groundbreaking ceremony has been scheduled for the new development at 500 Walnut Street on March 12th. The $75 million project spearheaded by developer Tom Scannapieco is expected to be one of the most innovative condo buildings in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is expected to be in attendance at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony, which will take place a few blocks away from the site at the National Museum of American Jewish History.

500 Walnut is expected to open in Spring 2017. Below are some of the features the 26-story glass building will include:

PhillyMag.com reported that redevelopment plans have been confirmed for North Broad Street’s Divine Lorraine but those plans do not include its conversion into a boutique hotel. Developers are concerned with the time line and length of a project like hotel redevelopment. The new and improved plans for the former hotel includes 126 apartments, two levels of retail space and a lobby area, which consists of about 20,000 square feet of space for the main level.

Although it makes sense to rehabilitate the former hotel because of its location, those involved believe it is more beneficial to complete the project sooner rather than later with apartments and retail.

The $43 million project is projected to begin around the summer months and could take 18 months for completion. Plans for apartments sizes and features have not yet been released.

The Divine Lorraine was built between 1892 and 1894 by architect Willis G. Hale. The building was originally housed by some of Philadelphia’s wealthiest residents before it converted to a hotel. It officially closed in 1999.

The New York Times recently published a list of ’52 Places to Go in 2015.’ Right behind Milan and Cuba, the City of Brotherly Love came in at third place. How incredible is that?!

In the past couple of years, Philadelphia has increasingly developed and reinvented itself. The City of Brotherly Love is no longer only known for its deep roots in American history but as a highly traveled destination for restaurants, attractions and entertainment of all sorts. Here is why Philadelphia made the number 3 spot:

1. Dilworth Park began construction and renovation in 2012 and reopened with its new look this past September. Located on the west side of City Hall, Dilworth Park is a great addition to attractions in Philadelphia. This park was once an ugly concrete slab of non-utilized space as well as an eyesore in Center City. Today, the newly reinvented Dilworth Park boasts of an ice skating rink, outdoor seating, lawn space, a fountain and not to mention a delicious cafe by Chef Jose Garces. New entrances and elevators have also been created for underground access to the Market East station.

2. Spruce Street Harbor Park was a widely popular addition to the Delaware River Waterfront this past summer. The temporary outdoor oasis attracted hundreds of guests with its colorful chairs and umbrellas, a floating garden area and The Blue Anchor featuring a casual menu with beer and cocktails.

3. The Schuylkill River Boardwalk opened in October 2014. The $18 million, pet friendly boardwalk runs from Locust Street to South Street, which has attracted residents and visitors in the past few months. It is a great spot to bike ride, jog or take a stroll to enjoy the gorgeous views of the Philadelphia skyline.

As reported back in June 2014 the Curtis Center, located at 6th and Walnut Streets, was purchased for $125 million by Keystone Property Group and Mack-Cali Realty Corp.

According to Philadelphia Magazine, the construction of luxury condos will begin this Spring on the 6th Street side of the building as originally planned. Future condo residents will enjoy the scenic views of Independence Park and Washington Square. Fifty-five luxury units will be added to the Curtis Center, which has always been used for office space and events in recent years hosted by Cescaphe Event Group.

Rumor has it that a new restaurant, coffee shop, spa and gym will be opened along with the new condos. This will help attract more visitors to the Washington Square building.

The first phase of construction is expected to begin in the Spring.

The last time the Curtis Center underwent major renovations was in 1980. Philly.com reported that the building will transform from a general office space to a major ‘hub’ of Washington Square.

The weekend is now upon us and many potential buyers will be out and about visiting open houses on Sunday. If your home is currently listed for sale, an open house is a great way to draw buyers in. But before hosting an open house consult with your Realtor and take the following necessary steps to ensure a successful open house.

– Take advice from your real estate agent. Walk through the home together and take note of any suggestions for improvement the agent might give. Most importantly, be open to critique.

– Make any sort of repairs or updates before hosting an open house. You want your home to look its best on Open House day. Take the time to fix leaky faucets, chipped paint or cracked tile. Not only will this make your home more appealing, it will clear up any issue that may occur once the house is under contract.

– Get rid of the clutter. Removing unnecessary clutter will help potential buyers see the true beauty of your home. You don’t want an untidy or cluttered room to mask your home’s true potential.

– Eye-catching curb appeal will really get the attention of buyers as they approach the house. Planting flowers or adding window boxes can really dress up the exterior of the house. If the exterior brick needs work, consider having it re-pointed.

– Properly cleaning and staging your home will go a long way with potential buyers.

– Work with your real estate agent in getting the word out about your Open House! Your agent will market the open house as much as possible to draw in prospective buyers.

– Another great tip for sellers is to take on a buyer’s perspective. Walk through your home without any bias and find things to work on. This will truly help in the sale of your home.

In the heart of South Philly’s Passyunk Square neighborhood, the 1600 block of South 13th Street (between Morris and Tasker Streets) was named as one of America’s Best Streets for Christmas Lights by the Huffington Post. Every year gets better with the “Miracle on 13th Street” lights display.

We highly suggest that you visit the Passyunk Square neighborhood this Sunday, not only for the beautiful Christmas lights on 13th Street but the open houses as well!

Passyunk Square is vibrant neighborhood located in South Philadelphia. This up and coming area has flourished with real estate and business development. Along East Passyunk Avenue you can find award-winning restaurants, boutiques and other small businesses. Passyunk Square is a very walkable neighborhood with many amenities close by including the ACME supermarket, several special shops and restaurants. Spend your day strolling along the Avenue, checking out the specialty shops and boutiques. Then Passyunk Avenue delightfully transforms into a great nightlife spot with some of the area’s top bars and restaurants.

For more featured listings in the Passyunk Square neighborhood, click here.